Professor Granger

Chapter 6: Routine

Neville: Libra Rising, Leo Sun (11th House), Pisces Moon (6th House)

Pansy: Scorpio Rising, Capricorn Sun (3rd House), Virgo Moon (11th House)

February 2nd, RAVENCLAW COMMON ROOM, HOGWARTS

Hermione settled into life at Hogwarts even easier than she thought she would. The hallways were familiar and she made small repairs with ease from her experience. She worked with McGonagall to order new tables for the Great Hall to turn over a new leaf. Her and Harry would go into Hogsmeade to visit Ron, Luna or the Patils... or most likely some combination of them. Even Fred and George came by to visit, bringing along Neville on a few occasions. 

Neville was running a magical plant shop in Diagon Alley nearby the twins' flagship Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Hermione had rolled her eyes when the twins prodded him to pull out the muggle "cannibas" they had heard about and specially requested. His shop assistant, surprisingly Pansy Parkinson, had smirked when they suggested it- nodding towards Neville knowingly. "We tried it," Neville had smiled back at her. "It's good...relaxing..."

Fred and George had grimaced at that- not sure if relaxed was the state they wanted to be in. Hermione didn't try much that time, but ended up opting to keep a few of the joints Neville had left strewn across the table that day. Just in case. Since the effect seemed to calm her in a desirable way.

Draco, much to Hermione's displeasure, was nowhere to be found most of the time. She ran into him occasionally in a corridor or on a staircase, but every time she did he hurried off after brief small talk- parchment or vials in hand.

Hermione returned to Ravenclaw Tower after a long day in the library and reached into her small glass box to pick out one of the joints Neville had left behind. She shrugged to herself, wordlessly casting a flame to light the end, before walking calmly to the open window across the room. The last of the pink light in the sky was fading from view and the charmed ceiling stars and planets inside the large dome of the common room seemed to glow even brighter in response to the changing light. 

She exhaled the smoke in a gust after a deep breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders drop slightly. She took another quite inhale, sipping at the end of the joint. She wondered what her friends would think of her doing this alone in her room at night- but brushed the thought off in irritation of her own dependence on the acceptance of others. 

"I didn't take you for a smoker," a deep voice whispered behind her in the darkness.

She gasped, "What are you doing here?"

Draco walked towards her and the light of a shooting star on the ceiling danced across his face.

"I had seen you in the library earlier and thought I'd use the telescopes one last time while you were out." Draco shrugged unapologetically. 

There was the Malfoy arrogance Hermione remembered. In all his recent forced politeness, Hermione had forgotten how entitled he used to be. He did what he wanted. 

Hermione adjusted her body as he moved- facing him. Determined not to make a fool of herself in front of him again, she confidently pulled the joint to her lips for another drag while looking cooly into his eyes.

"I'm just celebrating this moment. Everything is changing... for the better finally. I don't want to be stuck in my head for all of it- I want to be here. In the moment. Feeling it happen. I deserve to feel good."

She exhaled in a sudden gust, a bit embarrassed but satisfied with the honesty and confidence in her response. 

"Hmm...muggle weed...I can smell it..." he walked closer with a smirk. "It's been a while for me-"